Key Takeaways from RSAC 2025

Detailed Action Steps for CISOs Walking Out of RSAC 2025

The RSA Conference (RSAC) 2025 is now a wrap, as 41,000 CIOs, CISOs, cybersecurity professionals, and thought leaders return home from San Francisco this week. For Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), the conference provided actionable insights into leveraging AI-driven solutions, strengthening identity protection, and enhancing proactive defense strategies.

Cornerstone Themes

CISOs must adjust this year to sophisticated threats such as nation-state attacks, penetrative eCrime via AI-enhanced tools, diminished governmental support (like CISA’s resource constraints), and the growing role of enterprise-led initiatives.

This report outlines detailed and specific action steps across 10 cybersecurity subsectors—Identity and Access Management (IAM), Privileged Access Management (PAM), Cloud Security, Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP), Extended Detection and Response (XDR), Vulnerability Management, Application Security, Network Security, Data Protection, and AI in Cybersecurity.

Industry-Wide Action Steps

Nine observed insights apply across subsectors, addressing broader cybersecurity challenges:

• Secure AI systems: Ensure all AI deployments are threat-modeled, tested, and monitored—particularly Agentic AI—using tools like Microsoft Azure AI Security.

• Harden enterprise environments: Conduct monthly red team exercises and threat emulation to test defenses, with a focus on nation-state attack vectors.

• Support CISA’s mission: Share vulnerability research and threat intelligence via platforms like Bugcrowd to enhance community-driven defense.

• Adapt to CISA’s constraints: Develop internal vulnerability management programs to compensate for delays in CISA initiatives and avoid fragmented standards.

• Push for AI transparency: Require vendors to disclose AI tool security measures, ensuring clarity on data handling and model integrity.

• Focus on Zero Trust and AI: Implement Zero Trust with AI-driven Non-Human Identity (NHI) management, preparing for Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) resilience by 2030.

• Leverage AI in GRC: Use AI tools (e.g., Vanta, OneTrust) to automate compliance checks and risk assessments, reducing manual effort.

• Evolve SOC operations: Transition SOCs to AI-accelerated models using autonomous agents for threat detection and response (Expert Insights).

• Address the AI enthusiasm gap: Conduct workshops to align executive and analyst perspectives on AI, ensuring secure and balanced adoption (IT Pro).
  

Actionable Intel / Key Takeaways

The action steps outlined above reflect RSAC 2025’s emphasis on AI-driven security, identity protection, and proactive defense. By implementing these measures, CISOs can address sophisticated threats, compensate for reduced governmental support, and foster industry collaboration.

Key RSAC 2025 Takeaways

Subsector	Key Action Steps
IAM	Deploy phishing-resistant MFA, use AI verification, automate access reviews, adopt Zero Trust, protect NHIs.
PAM	Implement just-in-time access, establish approval workflows, monitor with AI, rotate credentials.
Cloud Security	Use CSPM and CWPP, conduct audits, adhere to CIS benchmarks, leverage AI for risk prioritization.
EPP	Deploy NGAV and EDR, enforce patch management, use AI anomaly detection.
XDR	Integrate across environments, use AI correlation, centralize SOC, automate response.
Vulnerability Mgmt.	Prioritize with AI, automate patches, conduct scans, integrate threat intelligence, focus on hygiene.
Application Security	Integrate testing in CI/CD, use SCA and RASP, visualize attack surfaces, secure AI apps.
Network Security	Deploy NGFWs, implement micro-segmentation, use AI analysis, secure IoT/OT, integrate defenses.
Data Protection	Implement DLP, encrypt data, use UEBA, test backups, adopt crypto-agility.
AI in Cybersecurity	Deploy training platforms, use threat intelligence, implement anomaly detection, ensure secure AI adoption.

Conclusion

As expected, there is a clear mandate for CISOs to adopt AI-driven solutions, prioritize identity security, and take proactive steps to counter advanced threats. The above is the beginning of a practical framework for implementing these insights.

These steps, grounded in multi-vendor trends from RSAC 2025, provide a comprehensive roadmap for CISOs to bolster organizational resilience.

Next, we will drill down into each cybersecurity subsector in detail and provide a CISO Playbook as a checklist for continued assessment of the evolving threat landscape and available market solutions.

Stay tuned for our CISO Best Practices Playbook for the rest of 2025.